[LA Life] Hunting for Art at Hauser + Wirth

When I first moved to Los Angeles in my twenties, I met a lot of thirty-somethings to forty-anythings who dolled out their various bits and pieces of wisdom, whether I wanted them or not it seemed. From life hacks to party tricks, inspirational pep-talks, moving monologues and transformational wisdom – I began to understand that all the learning I did while I was in college was child’s play compared to what the real world was actively teaching me.

Don’t drink the tap water; make sure a friend has a spare key; find a rent controlled apartment; art is everywhere; you don’t have to be happy to smile; sleep later, have fun now; kindness goes a long way; things get better the older you are.

Some lessons were more like sprints, easier to digest and put into motion immediately, while others felt like a marathon where I was taught lessons over an extended period of time after many an experience. As I gracefully bowed out of my twenties and into my thirties, I felt the wheels inside me churning – I was evolving and surely wasn’t that same girl that moved Koreatown so bright eyed and ponytailed in the Summer of 2018. As I’ve said before, you never stop having growing pains – it’s simply at some point they become psychological, emotional and mental growth over the physical; and that’s precisely where I’m at today.

One of the many things that’s gotten better the older I’ve been, is my perspective on art, or at least my willingness to be curiously critical of it. Immersive art, contained art, art in frames, urban street art in the wild – whatever the form, wherever it is: I will find it, and I will let it consume me.

Recently, I’ve taken a bit of an obsession in visiting all of the museums and art galleries around Los Angeles. So far, I’ve crossed off quite a few – with the grounds of the Getty Villa and Getty topping my favorite architecture, the Natural History Museum piquing the nerd interest inside and while the LACMA and The Broad offer fantastic contemporary art. I still need to get to the Annenberg Space for Photography in Culver City and Neon Museum in Glendale, but for the most part – I’ve been able to cross quite a few off my list; meaning it’s time to hit the art galleries! Just the other month I ventured to an art opening at the Gabba Gallery but just last month I hit the mecca, the motherload, and my new favorite haunt: Hauser and Wirth’s Downtown Gallery.

Taking over the space of an old flour mill in the heart of DTLA’s arts district is latest iteration of Zurich’s acclaimed Hauser + Wirth Gallery. The gallery curators themselves have a bevvy of locations under their belt, including London, New York, Hong Kong and Gstaa. The Los Angeles edition opened their doors in March of 2016 in a sprawling urban that spans over 100,000 square feet between their multiple indoor facilities and large open air spaces. A one of a kind experience with no other facilities quite like it in America, Hauser + Wirth is made up of an open air atrium with outdoor sculptures, an education lab, a research area, a mind bending bookstore, a wonderful planting garden complete with beautiful chickens, and last but certainly not least, Manuela – an impeccable modern American restaurant. Of the exhibits open at the time, we wandered our way through various nooks and crannies, eventually we ended up at Mike Kelley’s ‘Kandors‘ and took the time to slowly saunter through his keen retrospective of both the world and psyche of Superman.

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Currently, LA’s H + W is under construction as new exhibits are being assembled, but have no fear – they’ll be reopening on February 17th with fantastic new fine art and believe you me – I’ll be back, and in numbers. With their fantastic restaurant comes one of the best bars I’ve been to in Los Angeles less 71 Above, boasting adorable ambiance like you’ve been swept away into some provincial European town – or at the very least can forget that you’re in the midst of the hustle and bustle of downtown. Plus, H + W offers plenty of pause for party – including their open air courtyard, classes on classes like their latest on Scent Making

For more on the Los Angeles Edition of the Hauser + Wirth Galleries, head to their website and socials; or if you’re in the Southern California area, simply pay them a visit in the heart of DTLA.